Day 75 - Mombassa, Kenya Part 1

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What we did
The excursion that we did on our first day in Mombossa was the "Bombolulu and Haller Park" trip. The Bombolulu Workshops and Cultural Centre is dedicated to empowering people with disabilities by providing them with training and employment opportunities in the fields of art and craftsmanship. We were greeted by the friendly staff and given a brief overview of the center's mission and history. The tour commenced with a visit to the workshop where visitors can witness firsthand the skilled artisans creating a variety of handcrafted items such as jewelry, textiles, and home decor. The artisans use traditional techniques passed down from generation to generation, but with a modern twist, creating unique and beautiful pieces that are both functional and decorative. They also made wheelchairs and special tricycles for adults who are not able to use a traditional bicycle. We were given a opportunity to purchase their handcrafted items after the tour. After visiting the workshop, the tour continued with us walking through a few traditional houses and huts. We were given a presentation about the history and culture of the local community, as well as a traditional music and dance performance in which we participated. The visit is not only informative but also fills one with a sense of empathy and motivation to make a positive impact on the society. The tour is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities, and how art and creativity can empower them to overcome these obstacles.

Next we headed to Haller Park. Haller Park is a remarkable story of regeneration. Born from the ruins of a cement quarry, it has transformed into a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life — giraffes, hippos, reptiles, monkeys, butterflies, and more. We were a little late and missed the giraffe feeding but were able to see them in the distance. We then headed to the crocodile feeding that showed a number of crocs competing for meat. After that we headed to the hippo area where we watched a large 40 year old hippo enjoy an afternoon snack while several monkeys tried to get in on the action, but were very careful not to anger the hippo. On the walk back to our bus we saw a large tortoise that you could interact with. It was a hot afternoon and we were happy to get back to the bus and AC.

This day happened to be the last day of Ramadan and people were preparing for celebrate so traffic was very heavy. It took us 75 minutes to get back to the ship which was only 16 kilometers (approx 10 miles) away. The ride back showed the life that most here lead. There had been a lot of rain and there is almost no drainage along the roads. And, the road as in horrible condition and at times not complete. There are signs of some prosperity behind gated communities but most live day to day trying to get by. It really puts life back at home in perspective when we think that things are hard. We don't know what hard is compared to living here. Kenya is the 47th poorest country in the world based on GDP-PPP (purchasing power parity) per capita at $7,534 compared to the U.S. which is 89,105. And sadly the next two stops we'll be making are even poorer. Mozambique is #5 $1,729 and Madagascar #10 at $2,043.